U.S. Marine Corps cancels AAV Survivability Upgrade programme

The U.S. Marine Corps has cancelled plans to acquire the re-armouring Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs) as part of its AAV Survivability Upgrade (AAV-SU) programme.

The U.S. Marines cancelled an order for the AAV-SU as it has decided to stop re-armouring older vehicles and focus instead on buying new, replacement ones, called the amphibious combat vehicle (ACV), said Manny Pacheco, spokesperson for Marine Corps land systems in Virginia.

According to The London Free Press, the manufacturer lost a contract with a supplier to the U.S. Marines, providing armour kits for a fleet of amphibious vehicles, forcing the layoff of about half its workforce Tuesday Sept. 6.

“We have decided to cancel that program. We decided to focus on modernizing rather than investing in legacy systems,” said Pacheco. “The ACV has performed much better.”

“The decision had nothing to do with the armour or the vehicle, but it was strategic. We want to focus on modernization and this is a 40-year-old system.”

The AAV-SU’s upgrades include buoyant armor, blast-mitigating seats and spall liners. They will also include fuel tank protection and automotive and suspension upgrades to keep both land and sea mobility regardless of the added weight.

It was assumed that AAV-SU 392 vehicles could equip the Corps with four battalions for amphibious operations and additional support.